North Side Shares Spirit of Giving with Christmas Party for Kids Surviving Cancer

Students at North Side High School are getting ready for the school’s 28th annual Christmas Party for Kids Surviving Cancer, which will be from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at North Side, 475 E. State Blvd.

North Side students and staff work with Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana to host the party. This year, 17 families are expected to attend the party, which will include food, music, face painting, dance performances and a visit from Santa.

Students and staff raise money throughout the year to host the event. Students adopt a family by shopping for Christmas presents for the children in the family, wrapping the presents and attending the event alongside their designated family.

Preparing for the party includes raising money, making contacts with community members for donations, shopping for gifts for each child in every family attending, wrapping the gifts and organizing entertainment. Dozens of students from several student groups, including those focused on community service, as well as those connected to the arts and academics, participate in raising money for gifts and organizing the annual event.

This year, Olive Garden is providing food for the event and JCPenney Portrait Studios is donating a free session, including a free 8x10 photo, for each family.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.